Surpassing earlier predictions that human trials of a locally manufactured Covid-19 vaccine could begin as early as the end of the year, Thailand will conduct the first human trials of its vaccine candidate in October, after trials on monkeys produced satisfactory results, with high level of immunity being detected in the animals. The minister for higher education, science, research and innovation made the announcement in a Facebook post today. He says the next step is to recruit volunteers in August and September for human trials of the mRNA vaccine, which was jointly developed by the Vaccine Research Centre of Chulalongkorn […]

A recent survey carried out by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll, shows that a majority of Thais still oppose opening the country to foreigners, even if they’re not infected with Covid-19, saying the global coronavirus situation is still very serious. The poll was conducted on July 6-8 on 1,251 people aged 18 and over, of various education levels and occupations throughout the country. A “medical and wellness” program would open the country to foreigners who test negative for Covid-19 to receive medical treatment. They would undergo a mandatory 14 day quarantine before being allowed to return […]

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand now says the proposed “travel bubble” scheme, which could have allowed limited numbers of tourist arrivals from designated “low risk” countries, may have to be “postponed indefinitely”, after its 3 target partners – China, Japan and South Korea – experienced new outbreaks of Covid-19. On Tuesday, the CAAT’s director-general told reporters he expected Thailand to start exchanging tourists in August with countries that had controlled their coronavirus epidemics as Thailand has. But while negotiations have begun, new outbreaks in Beijing, Tokyo and outside Seoul now mean “we probably will have to postpone indefinitely.” He […]